Illinois Team Hope Walk to Raise Funds and Hope for Huntington’s Disease

The Illinois Chapter of the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) will hold its annual community Team Hope walk on Sunday, May 18 at the Naperville Riverwalk. The Team Hope walk program is HDSA's signature grassroots fundraising campaign designed to provide hope and support for those touched by Huntington's disease (HD) -- a hereditary, neurodegenerative brain disorder for which there is no known cure. All proceeds support HDSA's mission to improve the lives of people affected by HD and their families.

"The Team Hope walk raises awareness of HD and instills hope for families affected by this challenging condition," said Dave Hodgson, a board member of the Illinois Chapter of HDSA and co-chair of this year's walk. "The HDSA Illinois Chapter is thrilled to mark a decade of Team Hope walks and providing support for the HD community throughout the state."

During the walk, the Illinois Chapter of HDSA will honor the Skewes family for their ongoing dedication to the HD community, which has included fundraising and support for HD families.

"We know how HD can impact the lives of an entire family," said Jeanette Young, a member of the Skewes family. "HDSA events like the Team Hope walk have given us the opportunity to share our experiences and find support from others who know what living with HD is like. We're excited to participate in the Team Hope walk and honored to be recognized by HDSA for our contributions."

Lundbeck is the national sponsor of Team Hope walks and will be onsite at the Illinois walk. Lundbeck is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to helping people with brain disorders, like HD.

"At Lundbeck, we are committed to better understanding HD and continuing to support people impacted by the disease," said Raimonds Dzelme, Senior Director of Movement Disorder Marketing at Lundbeck. "We are proud to support the Illinois Chapter of HDSA as they provide much-needed services, information and hope to the community."

The Team Hope walks are HDSA's largest national grassroots fundraising event, which take place in over 100 cities across the U.S. The walks have raised over $4 million for HD since their inception in 2007. Registration for the Illinois walk begins at 9 am and the walk kick-off begins at 10 am. For more information or to register or donate, visit http://www.firstgiving.com/hdsa-il/hdsa-il-team-hope-walk-2014.

About Huntington's DiseaseHuntington's disease is a hereditary neurodegenerative disease characterized by a triad of behavioral, cognitive and motor symptoms.1 These symptoms vary from person to person. The duration of the disease after the onset of symptoms can range from 10 to 30 years2 and currently there is no cure.2 The HD gene, whose mutation results in the disease, was localized in 1983 and isolated in 1993.3,4

About the Huntington's Disease Society of AmericaThe Huntington's Disease Society of America is the largest 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by Huntington's disease. Founded in 1968 by Marjorie Guthrie, wife of folk legend Woody Guthrie who lost his battle with HD, the Society works tirelessly to provide the family services, education, advocacy and research to provide help for today, hope for tomorrow to the more than 30,000 people diagnosed with HD and the 250,000 at-risk in the United States. The Society is comprised of 54 local chapters and affiliates across the country with its headquarters in New York City. Additionally, HDSA supports 21 Centers of Excellence at major medical facilities throughout the U.S. and hosts more than 170 support groups for people with HD, their families, caregivers and people at-risk, and is the premiere resource on Huntington's disease for medical professionals and the general public. To learn more about Huntington's disease and to get involved in HDSA, please visit www.hdsa.org or call 1-800-345-HDSA.

About Lundbeck in the U.S.Lundbeck in the U.S., headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of H. Lundbeck A/S in Denmark. Lundbeck is dedicated to providing innovative specialty therapies that fulfill unmet medical needs of people with brain disorders, such as Huntington's disease (HD). In 2010, Lundbeck initiated the HD Research Initiative in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts and CHDI Foundation to develop therapies for the management of HD. Lundbeck also provides educational resources for HD patients and their families, including the Chorea Matters website and the Moving Together for HD Facebook page. For more information about the company, visit www.lundbeckus.com.

About H. Lundbeck A/SH. Lundbeck A/S (LUN.CO, LUN DC, HLUYY) is a global pharmaceutical company specialized in brain diseases. For more than 50 years, we have been at the forefront of research within neuroscience. Our development and distribution of pioneering treatments continues to make a difference to people living with brain diseases. Our key areas of focus are alcohol dependence, Alzheimer's disease, depression/anxiety, epilepsy, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and stroke.

Our nearly 6,000 employees in 57 countries are engaged in the entire value chain throughout research, development, production, marketing and sales, and are committed to improving the quality of life of people living with brain diseases. Our pipeline consists of several late-stage development programs and our products are available in more than 100 countries. We have research centers in China, Denmark and the United States, and production facilities in China, Denmark, France, Italy and Mexico. Lundbeck generated revenue of approximately DKK 15 billion in 2013 (EUR 2.0 billion; USD 2.7 billion).